The Inward Path requires the Outward Path in Religion

When we close off all bodily sensations and desires we no longer experience the outside world, we experience the inside world. Our experience of the outside world, our consciousness, is related to the brain being conscious of certain states, thoughts, memories, which come mainly from the outside world. The blissful experience of the Father Within derives from the inside world, from blocking out all the sensations and desires of the outside world. This is not a super-consciousness, as is often claimed, it is a lack of consciousness, a complete blocking of consciousness.
 
Why would the religious masters seek to block all bodily-derived consciousness, and strongly promote this state to followers? They do so for the blissful experience of the Father Within, which they often define as God. Who would not want to contact God? The problem is, the Father Within is not God, it is only a symbol-experience of God.  We may pursue the Father Within, but not exclusively, and not stop there, as if drugged.  It is only a stopping off place to help us understand what Godhood will be like when we evolve to Godhood.

Godhood is the highest evolved material and supermaterial consciousness, mind and body, not the complete blocking of consciousness, mind and body. Godhood is the zenith of material evolution, requiring the highest consciousness, truth, beauty and goodness, which is a supermaterialism, not a cessation of these things.  Godhood is the attainment of the highest materiality, or super-materiality, not the blocking of materiality. The evolution of material life needs to be refined in the Outward Path to attain Godhood, not stopped, blocked or called evil.